HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Raiders May Be Homing In On QB Shedeur Sanders

January 18th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Raiders did themselves a bit of a disservice by winning a couple of games down the stretch of the regular season and ruining their opportunity to own the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft as a result. Despite the theoretical misstep, Las Vegas may still be in a good position to land their preferred option in April.

As the influence of minority-owner Tom Brady continues to permeate throughout the Raiders organization, there seems to be an indication that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders could be the object of focus for the team’s scouting department leading into the draft. According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, Brady has “a great amount of respect for Sanders’ focus on preparation, his ability to learn and adapt, his accuracy and determination in the pocket, and his toughness to take hits and still be resilient.”

We continue to see reports from scouts that the top two passers in this year’s draft class, Miami’s Cam Ward and Sanders, wouldn’t have surpassed the top three passers in 2024 (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye). According to Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York, some have even claimed that J.J. McCarthy would be the QB1 in this class, which is hard to believe when comparing the statistics of the three. Apparently, McCarthy’s winning of a championship with Michigan is valued highly enough to overcome a severe difference in production.

Despite these claims and despite Sanders seemingly being ranked as QB2 behind Ward at the moment, the desperate need for quarterbacks in the NFL still makes it seem like Sanders may not make it to the Raiders at No. 6 overall. Three of the five teams in the first five picks of the draft (Titans, Browns, Giants) have also been connected to passers with quarterback being identified as a position of need. Still, there’s reportedly belief in draft circles that, as the evaluation process continues, Sanders has a chance to slip out of the top five picks.

Should that be the case, it would play perfectly into the hands of Las Vegas. There’s some hope that whoever is hired as general manager, as well as head coach, would be permitted some input on the decision of who is selected in the first round. If Brady and majority-owner Mark Davis have their way, though, the Colorado-product may be headed to the Raiders.

Raiders To Conduct Second GM Interviews With Brandon Brown, Chad Alexander

January 18th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

A pair of finalists have emerged for the Raiders’ general manager position. More in-person interviews could be coming soon, but for now two are on tap.

Giants assistant general manager Brandon Brown has a second interview lined up with the Raiders, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. His second meeting with the team will take place Monday. On that same day, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds Chargers AGM Chad Alexander will conduct a second interview with Vegas’ search committee.

Earlier this week, it was learned both staffers had received an interview request from the Raiders. Brown and Alexander each took part in a virtual interview, and their success in that capacity has kept them in contention to land the position. Neither have been an NFL general manager before, but Brown is no stranger to interest in that regard while Alexander is a veteran of several front offices.

Brown’s NFL tenure began in 2012 with the Jets, but much of his tenure in the league came with the Eagles. He held the title of director of pro scouting as well as pro personnel director before making the intra-divisional move to the Giants. New York will keep GM Joe Schoen for at least one more year, but if he were to be replaced Brown would represent a feasible in-house option to take over. Depending on how his in-person interview goes, though, Brown could elect to make his general manager debut in Vegas.

Alexander spent 20 seasons with the Ravens in several capacities. He has served with familiar faces since departing Baltimore, having worked under Joe Douglas with the Jets and, for 2024, Joe Hortiz with the Chargers. Alexander will look to join Douglas and Hortiz as staffers who parlayed their time in Baltimore into GM gigs elsewhere.

Recent days have seen Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson heavily linked to the Raiders’ head coaching position, a potential hire which would come as something of a surprise given the team’s quarterback situation. Drafting a passer would be a logical step this offseason, with Shedeur Sanders being a name to watch closely on that front. In any case, finding a long-term answer under center will be a central priority for Vegas once a general manager hire is made.

Via PFR’s GM search tracker, here is an updated look at the Raiders’ situation:

  • Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interviewed; to conduct second interview 1/20
  • Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interviewed; to conduct second interview 1/20
  • Lance Newmark, assistant general manager (Commanders): Potential frontrunner?
  • John Spytek, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): To interview
  • Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of player personnel (Packers): Interview requested
  • Sheldon White, director of pro scouting (Steelers): Interview requested

Steve Sarkisian Agrees To Texas Extension

January 18th, 2025 at 7:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the college coaches who has been listed as a name to watch for the 2025 NFL hiring cycle is Steve Sarkisian. He will not be making the jump to the pro game at this time, however.

Sarkisian has agreed to an extension at Texas, Brett McMurphy of Action Network and ESPN’s Pete Thamel report. One year has been added to his existing pact, meaning he is now set to remain with the school through 2031. That could of course change with renewed interest from the NFL, but for at least one more campaign he will carry on at the helm of the Longhorns.

Interestingly, McMurphy’s report notes Sarkisian turned down a pair of interview requests from NFL teams seeking a head coach. Six vacancies are currently in place around the league (Bears, Cowboys, Jaguars, Raiders, Saints, Jets), although Dallas was not among the teams to reach out as an expression of interest as of earlier this week. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News confirms the Cowboys were not one of the two clubs to request an interview.

Presuming the Patriots did not reach out prior to making the anticipated move of hiring Mike Vrabel, that leaves Chicago, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, New Orleans and New York as the group which produced a pair of interview requests. Prior to the conclusion of the regular season, a report noted interest in Sarkisian was expected for this year’s hiring cycle. That proved to be the case, something which obviously helped his leverage in negotiating an extension. As Thamel notes, Sarkisian secured a “significant raise” with this new deal.

The 50-year-old has been at Texas since 2021, amassing a 38-17 record during that span. Sarkisian has guided the Longhorns to the CFP seminals each of the past two seasons, and expectations will remain high for the program moving forward. Also a previous head coach at Washington and USC, Sarkisian’s coaching resume includes a two-year run as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator (2017-18). A return to the NFL could be in the cards down the road, but that will not be the case next season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/18/25

January 18th, 2025 at 5:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor moves, including stand gameday practices squad elevations for the weekend’s remaining divisional playoff games:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Rams

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

Aaron Glenn A HC Candidate In Dallas?

January 18th, 2025 at 4:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Compared to the other open head coaching positions, we have heard relatively little about the possibilities in Dallas. So far, the names connected to the Cowboys are few and far between as the team has interviewed just two candidates and only has one other interview on the schedule. That makes it noteworthy to see Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reporting Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as “a name to watch closely” in connection to the job.

Like his coworker on the offensive side of the ball in Detroit, Glenn’s name has been an extremely popular one in multiple searches for a new head coach around the league. He has been mentioned as a candidate for every other open position, already having interviewed with the Jets (1/9), Raiders (1/10), Saints (1/10), Bears (1/11), and Jaguars (1/11) and declining an interview with the Patriots. While New York has reportedly been extremely interested in adding the 52-year-old to lead their staff, so far, the Saints have been heavily linked as a favorite to land Glenn.

Dallas, on the other hand, has been fairly inactive in their search after they got a late start on the process. They’ve interviewed their former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator and current Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (1/17) and former Jets head coach Robert Saleh (1/18), and they have an interview scheduled with former Vikings head coach and current Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier for Monday. They’ve shown interest in two collegiate head coaches, but North Carolina’s Bill Belichick remains committed to the Tar Heels, and the interest in Colorado’s Deion Sanders has not resulted in anything substantial as of yet.

A Houston native, Glenn played for four of the teams with open jobs (Jets, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Saints) as a cornerback in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The proximity of Dallas and New Orleans to his hometown could be factors in their relevance during his job search, as well. He also spent time on the coaching staff in New Orleans for five seasons as defensive backs coach before landing the coordinator job in Detroit.

Glenn is perhaps the most sought-after coach in this coaching cycle, as evidenced by his connection to every open job so far. The Cowboys will need to make up some ground on a number of teams that have over a week’s head start on courting Glenn in order to contend for his services. Team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones, though, reportedly holds Glenn in “especially high regard,” so their pursuit may be starting soon.

NFL Coaching Rumors: Johnson, Orlovsky, Sanders

January 18th, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Ely Allen

There has been a bit of criticism in recent days over the interview process for head coaching candidates on playoff teams as coordinators for the Lions, Bills, Chiefs, Eagles, and Ravens have all been participating in interviews during their free time throughout the week. Many of the teams looking to fill head coaching jobs will be watching the Lions’ game against the Commanders tonight, as the results could be a big catalyst for things to come.

According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, if Detroit were to fall to the Commanders tonight, a chain reaction could result for coaching jobs as a mad dash would be incoming to complete in-person interviews with both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. If the Lions continue to win, though, it could continue to stall the hiring process until both coaches become available for in-person interviews.

In anticipation for this expected interest, Johnson has hired a new agent, Rick Smith of Priority Sports, per Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Smith will likely be apprised of what Johnson’s preferences are and will be fielding phones calls for second interviews as soon as he becomes available.

Johnson has interviewed for the Bears’, Jaguars’, and Raiders’ open positions, as well as the Patriots’ job that was filled by Mike Vrabel. He has not been mentioned as a candidate in New Orleans or New York, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter doesn’t believe he’s in play for the Cowboys’ job.

Here are some other coaching rumors from around the league:

  • One media name has been floating around coaching rumors as former NFL quarterback and ESPN personality Dan Orlovsky has expressed interest in entering the coaching world. Orlovsky claimed on the Pat McAfee Show that he’s “had conversations with places about stuff in the coaching world.” While he’s very happy with his place on television, ESPN jobs are pretty unstable, as we’ve seen in recent years, and Orlovsky admits that if the right situation presented itself, he would be open to exploring it. Later in the week on the show, Schefter confirmed that Orlovsky has been communicating with teams in search of any positions that may fit the bill and interest him. Orlovsky’s interest would be more in the realm of a quarterbacks coach or perhaps even an offensive coordinator gig, but nothing substantial seems to be forming as of yet.
  • There’s been a lot of momentum lately on Colorado head coach Deion Sanders as a candidate for the Cowboys‘ open position. One hurdle mentioned has been a roughly $10MM buyout that could certainly be a deterrent in landing his services. NFL Insider Josina Anderson recently pointed out another hurdle in the process. In order to formally interview Sanders, the Cowboys would need to obtain approval from the school’s athletic director, Rick George, and inform the league office.

Patriots Notes: Glaser, Coaching Changes, Bowen

January 18th, 2025 at 12:46pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Patriots kick off a new era under Mike Vrabel, they’ll do so without a long-time executive. Robyn Glaser, New England’s executive vice president of football business, informed the organization that she is resigning, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Glaser plans to work for the organization through mid-February.

[RELATED: Mike Vrabel To Control Patriots’ Roster?]

Glaser has spent nearly two decades in New England, starting as a senior adviser to ownership in 2007. She gradually climbed the organizational ladder before earning the role of “senior vice president, business affairs and chief administrative officer of football” in 2022. As Reiss explains, Glaser was tasked with “all league business and legal relations, including league compliance.” Glaser took on even more responsibility (and media scrutiny) in 2024 when she was named a senior adviser to Jerod Mayo.

While this departure will open a significant hole in New England’s front office, Vrabel is actively clearing his coaching staff as he prepares for new hires. Reiss passes along a number of staff members who won’t be back with the Patriots in 2025: Bob Bicknell (tight ends), Taylor Embree (running backs), Tyler Hughes (wide receivers), Keith Jones (defensive coaching assistant), Joe Kim (director of skill development), and Tiquan Underwood (assistant wide receivers).

Per Reiss, Vrabel has started the process of interviewing potential candidates for his staff. We’ve already heard that the organization is eyeing Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady and interim Bears HC Thomas Brown for their OC job, and the team is also considering old friend Josh McDaniels. While the Patriots have only been connected to OC interviews, it sounds like they’re also considering options on defense. Connor Hughes of SNY.tv believes Vrabel is looking to bring Shane Bowen to New England.

Vrabel and Bowen worked alongside each other during their stops in Houston, and Vrabel brought Bowen along to Tennessee. The assistant eventually worked his way up to the defensive coordinator job during the duo’s final three seasons with the organization. After the Titans cleaned house last offseason, Bowen was hired as the Giants new defensive coordinator.

49ers Expected To Offer Robert Saleh DC Job

January 18th, 2025 at 11:50am CST by Sam Robinson

TODAY: While it’s been more than a week since Robert Saleh was first connected to the 49ers defensive coordinator job, he remains the favorite. Matt Barrows of The Athletic recently said “it’s Robert Saleh or bust” for San Francisco, with sources telling the reporter that the 49ers promised to make their former DC one of the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL (h/t @Coach_Yac).

JANUARY 8th: Preparing to hire a fourth defensive coordinator in four years, the 49ers have a familiar name on the radar. As could be expected based on his success in San Francisco (and the Jets’ freefall after his early-season firing), Robert Saleh is a name to monitor in this search.

Although the Jaguars are set to meet with Saleh about their head coaching job on Jan. 14, veteran NFL insider Josina Anderson reports the former 49ers DC can expect to receive an offer about returning to that job soon as well.

[RELATED: 49ers Fire ST Coordinator Brian Schneider]

Saleh was the 49ers’ DC from 2017-20 and spent the past three-plus seasons heading up the Jets’ defense — one that climbed into the top five in the NFL in 2022 and ’23. The Jets dismissed him from his post after five games this past season. After starting 2-3, Gang Green finished the season 5-12. While the 49ers attempted to land Jeff Ulbrich for their DC post last year, his recent boss appears to be the priority for the NFC West franchise.

The 49ers are not bringing Nick Sorensen back as DC, but they are also not certain to be removing their 2024 defensive play-caller from their staff. A special teams coordinator position has opened up, and Sorensen has experience in that area. As for the higher-profile job, the team has been connected to Saleh, Ulbrich and Gus Bradley in the early stages of this search. The 49ers must interview one external minority candidate to satisfy the Rooney Rule; a Saleh meeting would qualify.

Cementing himself as a head coaching candidate during the 2021 cycle, Saleh did not fare well as the Jets’ HC. The team’s Zach Wilson investment had plenty to do with that, and the Jets quickly launched a turnaround on defense. After ranking last in Saleh’s 2021 debut season, the Jets rocketed to fourth in points and yards allowed in 2022. In 2023, New York’s defense finished third in yardage allowed and 12th in points. To be fair to Ulbrich, the unit again ranked third in total defense this season; it ranked 20th in scoring as the wheels came off post-Saleh.

Saleh, 45, was at the controls when the 49ers completed a remarkable ascent in 2019. After a 4-12 2018 season that netted the team Nick Bosa at No. 2 overall, San Francisco earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed and stampeded through the NFC playoffs before a Super Bowl LIV loss to the Chiefs. Saleh’s unit ranked fourth in scoring defense that year. Despite the 49ers losing Bosa early during an injury-plagued 2020 season — one that reminded of the team’s 2024 slate — Saleh’s troops remained a top-five total defense.

It will be interesting to see how fast the 49ers move on this, with Saleh presumably interested in hearing the Jaguars out about a return to a top job. Jacksonville is the only team thus far to request an HC interview with the recently fired Jets coach/current Packers consultant, so it is possible San Francisco will not need to wait too long for an answer.

Falcons Interview Matt Eberflus For Defensive Coordinator Job

January 18th, 2025 at 11:06am CST by Ben Levine

It might not take long for Matt Eberflus to find his next gig. The Falcons announced that they interviewed the former Bears head coach for their defensive coordinator job.

After getting fired by the Bears in late November, it didn’t take long for Eberflus to pop back up during the hiring cycle. Reports tied him to the DC vacancy in Cincinnati, although there hasn’t been word of a definitive interview. Now, he’s a candidate with the Falcons, who have been seeking a replacement for Jimmy Lake.

Eberflus would bring plenty of experience to the role. After working his way up the college ranks, he got his first NFL gig with the Browns coaching linebackers. He held that same title with the Cowboys before getting hired as the Colts defensive coordinator in 2018. Indy’s defense finished top-10 in points allowed in three of the coach’s four seasons at the helm, and Eberflus quickly became a popular head coaching candidate.

He got that opportunity in Chicago, where he was named the Bears head coach in 2022. Eberflus squeezed only three wins out of his team during his first season, but he guided the squad to seven wins in 2023. Armed with first-overall pick Caleb Williams and a handful of notable offseason acquisitions, the Bears were prepared to take another step forward in 2024. After riding a 4-2 record into their Week 7 bye, the Bears proceeded to go on an epic losing streak. Eberflus was let go six games into the Bears’ eventual 10-game skid.

It sounds like Eberflus’ stint in Chicago didn’t tarnish his reputation, and he’ll now join a growing list of candidates to coach the Falcons’ defense. As our 2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker shows, the Falcons have now interviewed seven candidates for the DC job:

Jets Planning Second Round Of GM Interviews

January 18th, 2025 at 9:55am CST by Ben Levine

The Jets are set to kick off the next step of their wide-ranging GM search. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the Jets are currently planning a second round of interviews for their general manager job.

Barring a late addition, the Jets’ first round of GM interviews included 15 individuals. One of those initial candidates is now off the market, as the Titans hired Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi for their top job. Cimini notes that Borgonzi was a strong candidate for New York’s gig.

Still, that would leave 14 potential candidates for the Jets job, and the organization shouldn’t be worried about another executive getting away. Per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, the team’s GM candidates view the organization’s outlook “more positively than the public.” Of course, with only the Jets and Raiders jobs currently open, these candidates can’t be overly picky about their landing spot. Still, it’s at least encouraging that any recent chaos in New York hasn’t dissuaded future GMs.

Schultz reaffirms that the Jets’ next general manager (along with the team’s future HC addition) will ultimately determine Aaron Rodgers‘ fate in New York. The quarterback also hinted that his future with the organization will be dependent on the Jets’ new regime.

“I think everybody understands that it’s going to come down to a GM and a coach and myself and whether we all want to do a dance together or if it’s not in the cards,” Rodgers said during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” (via Cimini).

As our GM tracker shows, the Jets’ current list of GM candidates includes:

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